


bound to be a ghost

by ClassyFangirl



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, Rated for Language and Mature Themes, implied past sexual assault, poor communication skills
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 06:40:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6843325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClassyFangirl/pseuds/ClassyFangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vax unintentionally learns a bit more about Percy than he ever expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	bound to be a ghost

**Author's Note:**

> i started writing this for a smut prompt and then no smut happened and it turned into a miserable angst fest sooo...u win some u lose some

Vax is, despite his frustration, a little impressed that de Rolo managed to follow him into the woods when he was sneaking so _carefully_.

“All right,” he says, without turning around from the great old tree he’d found earlier. “What in the fuck do you want now?”

“To talk, but I think that much is obvious.”

“Thanks, that clears it up so much.” Vax glares up at a bird sitting in the high branches of the tree- here in the dark, even with his keen eyes, he’s not sure what kind of bird it is, but he has a sneaking suspicion.

“You’re not exactly talkative these days. People in less immediate life-or-death situations would be rather worried about you.”

Vax turns his gaze on Percy and gives him a good, long look for the first time in the last week or so. He’s got bags under his eyes and his chin is scruffier than usual- he looks a lot like how Vax feels, actually. “I haven’t been in much of a talking mood, Percival; I’m sure you understand why.”

Vax isn’t sure if he’s impressed or annoyed at how Percy doesn’t wince at the remark. “Believe me, I’m all too aware of that. I’ve made a mess of our friendship, and that’s putting it lightly. I’m not asking for your forgiveness here- I just wanted to say…” He takes a deep breath. “I deserved far worse than a punch to the face for what I did. To Vex. The guilt is- staggering, to say the least. So I mean to offer you anything you want of me. Anything at all.”

There is something weak in his voice that makes Vax take a second glance, and he sees Percy like he has not seen him in well over a year. Here stands the ghostly young man they found in a prison cell so long ago, sitting at the borderline of hopelessness, and Vax suddenly finds bile rising in the back of his throat at the thought that he has made Percy feel this way.

Vax’ildan has seen dark deeds performed at men’s hands over the years, from his time with the Clasp to his new life with Vox Machina. Percy, as he’s known for months now, reeks of what awfulness people can enact on one another.

His mind flashes back to Professor Anders, how Percy’s voice had faltered when talking about him, how full of rage he became while killing him. The ill feeling roils in his belly and he takes two long strides forward and slaps Percy across the face.

Percy just barely flinches, squeezes his eyes shut briefly, and looks back at Vax as though nothing had happened. “Is that it? There’s no reason to let me off easy.”

“Percival Fredrickstein Von Whatsit Something de Rolo the third, what kind of man do you take me for?”

 _That_ finally takes Percy aback. “I’m sorry?”

“Gods’ sake, man, you don’t- you don’t even know what you’re doing, do you?” Vax looks down at the dirt and dead leaves beneath their feet and shakes his head. “You can’t say that sort of thing. I think you know as well as I do there are cruel people in this world who would take advantage of that willingness at the drop of a hat.”

“Well, it’s a very good thing you’re not cruel, isn’t it?”

“But I could be. Someday I might wake up and my mind-” _Won’t be my own,_ he doesn’t finish. He looks Percy in the eyes instead. “Don’t make those kind of offers, Percival. Learn from your mistakes.”

Percy lets out a short, harsh laugh. “You really can cut deep with more than daggers. Yes, all right. I’ll…I’ll try. I can promise you that much.”

“That’s all I can ask of you.” On an impulse, he leans forward and kisses Percy’s cheek. He places his hands on Percy’s shoulders and looks him up and down, and his eyes catch the raven skull he started wearing not so long ago. “I never asked- where did you get this?”

“Hm?” Percy blinks and looks down at the object in question. “This? Keyleth gave it to me as a gift during Winter’s Crest- just about a month ago now. Goodness, it really does feel a lot longer ago than that, doesn’t it?”

 _Fate-touched,_ whispers a familiar voice in the back of Vax’s brain. “Yeah,” he says. “Funny how these things work.”

Percy gives him a searching look like he does when he’s working out a puzzle. “Yes,” he agrees. “It really is.” He shrugs and offers a hand. “Now- would you be so kind as to escort me back to camp? My poor human eyes are useless in this darkness.”

Vax chuckles and takes Percy’s hand. “It would be my pleasure, Lord de Rolo.”

They make their way back to the glowing embers of Vox Machina’s campsite in the distance, hand in hand, and Vax feels far more content than he has in a long while.


End file.
